Scranton is Home of "The Office"and a Great Ice Train Tour

The Ice Train Excursion

The Steamtown National Historic Site preserves the tradition of operating a magnificant steam powered train excursion each winter, when the majority of other tourist rail lines do not operate at all.

The Steamtown Ice Train in the film below is pulled by locomotive Canadian National #3254.

The Steamtown facility was constructed in the early 1990s on the site of the former DL&W rail yard in Downtown Scranton PA, a hub of rail transporation near Back Mountain and Wilkes-Barre, hence the Scranton nickname Steamtown.

Attractions in Pennsylvania

Steamtown National Historic Site

Source

Endless Mountains

The Endless Mountains Heritage Site in northeastern Pennsylvania is a part of the Appalachian Mountain range and set in a picturesque region where Native Americans lived for many generations. A sense of history and beauty fills this region.

Endless Beauty in Northeast Pennsylvania

Back Mountain is a suburb of Scranton PA that is near dozens of travel attractions and places of historic interest. Whether for vacation, relocation, or retirement. Back Mountain provides a relaxing atmosphere of small town life in the mountains of Pennsylvania, right beside a larger city and all its inviting attractions.

The local mountains are the Endless Mountains in northeastern Pennsylvania, actually part of the Appalachians and set in a picturesque region where Native Americans lived for many generations and named the local landmarks. This is the Endless Mountains Heritage Region.

The Iroquois Confederation and Susquehannock Nations cared for the land, but largely moved away with the advent of colonization by whites after the end of the French and Indian War. Their place names remain, however, along with installations preserving their culture and crafts. In addition, Amish and Mennonite families still work the region and their farms provide interesting attractions. Forested areas provide outdoor recreation as well.

Travel and Tourism

Back Mountain particpates in oning historic preservation and tourism developments that have resulted in an over-40% increase in average household income from 2000 - 2010. Recognized by Bloomberg BusinessWeek as the fastest growing city in the state, its residents are employed largely in Construction, Healthcare, and Tourism related businesses that are growing in popularity.

Waterfront properties and green space for recreation and residential use are also a large draw for the suburb. These water ways include the Susquehann River, Harveys Lake, Huntsville Reservoir, Huntsville Golf Club, Lackawanna State Forest, Slocum State Park, ther Pocono Mountains and other landmarks.

Electric City

Photo Story

Scranton, The Electric City

Photographer and Author - Alyssa Amori

Published in 2007, this book contains over 100 full color images of the City of Scranton, Pennsylvania.

The photographer Alyssa Amori is a long-time resident of Scranton and loves her hometown. Through her creative lens during a six-month timeline, she recorded the historic architecture, parks, celebrations, and people of Scranton to share with others (please see the video below).

Some of the wonderful photos she presents in this unforgettable book include:

Ms. Amori thinks much about American servicemen and women in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as those serving in other pports of call far from home. She wants to see the book sent to anyone serving elsewhere that is from the Scranton area. The book is designed with providing the troops a look homeward in mind. Ms. Amori is looking for individuals or groups that can provide addresses and/or donations for printing and mailing books to American troops (email damori3@comcast.net). The book is also available directly on Amazon,.com.

Fiber Festival in Pennsylvania Endless MountainsPennsylvania Endless Mountains Fiber Festival is coming to the Harford Fairgrounds, September, 2004. Vendors, demonstrations, and displays will include anything to do with natural fibers and the animals and plants that produce them.

Back Mountain Documentary (40 min.)

Blue Chip Farms Animal Refuge

If you want to adopt or visit animals, near Back Mountain in Dallas PA is an animal refuge that is a haven for animals of all types - even fish. Blue Chip Farms does not euthanize its rescued animals - even if sick or old, they are cared for here.

Its 35 acres are home to dogs, cats, horses, potbelly pigs, and other large and small animals. Fish ponds are filled with rescue fish, but some live indoors in aquariums. A pet hospital, dog park, and horse trails are all in the works. Visit at 974 Lockville Road Dallas, PA 18612.

Train at Back Mountain Road

More by this Author

Phoenix lost many jobs in the Recession of 2008 -2010, but began to recover during 3rd Quarter 2011. With a job surge in 2012, Phoenix enters 2013 with the most on-seasonal new jobs created in the local market for some...